Flexible pipe connection.



W. J. SAUNDEHS.

FLEXIBLE PIPE CONNECTION,

APPLICATION FILED IuNE I9. 1916.

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WALTER D". SAUNDERS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FLEXIBLE PPE CONNECTON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 3l?, 191W Application filed June 19, 1916. Serial No. 104A37.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER J. SAUN- Dnns, citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los iingeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flexible Pipe Connections, of which the following` is a specification.

This invention relates to flexible lpipe connections, and pertains especially to connections suitable for conduits for the sup- 'ply of concrete to molds.

in the construction of concrete buildings. forms are built up of wood or other suitable material and concrete poured thereinto. ln large constructions to efficiently pour the concrete a tower is provided and a skip installed thereon for lifting concrete to the head of the tower. The concrete is dumped into a hopper at the top, and led therefrom by conduits to the forms. It is the usual practice to pro-vide two or more conduits, such as launders, or pipes in series so that the place of discharge may be moved as the work of pouring progrosses.

lt is an object of this invention to provide flexible pipe connections between the hopper and a conduit, and also between conduits, whereby the conduits may be moved to discharge concrete at any place desired.

lt is a further object of this invention to provide a cable rigging for adjusting, moving and anchoring the conduits.

l accomplish these objects by means of the embodiment of my invention disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a tower with discharge conduits for concrete and my invention applied thereto, portions of the forms being shown broken away to more clearly illustrate the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of an installation such as shown .in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a launder used in the discharge conduit. Fig. 4 is a` section partly in elevation through a flexible pipe connection. Fig. 5 is a section as seen on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawing. and especially Figs. l and 2, 6 and 6 indicate forms for the foundation walls, these being of the usual construction. 7 to 16 inclusive indicate forms for piers. Disposed within the foundation wall forms is a tower indicated by 17 in Fig. l and 17, which is of the usual construction and supports a hopper at the head thereof into which concrete is to be dumped and a skip for lifting concrete to the hopper. The skip is indicated by 18 and the hopper by 19. The skip and hopper are of the usual construction in which means is provided for dumping the skip when it reaches the top of the tower. l

Connected to the hopper is a line of discharge conduits indicated by 20. rllhe line of conduits may consist of launders of the character shown in Fig. 3, one end thereof being connected to the hopper by a flexible connection 2l, another end having a flexible connection 22 which secures it to a discharge conduit 23; the free end of the latter being moved to the point at which it is desired to discharge the concrete.

The upper end of the launders shown in Fig. 3 are preferably of trough form, having apertures Q3 disposed adjacent the upper edge thereof at one end and correspending apertures 24 at the other end in which are disposed the ears of a bail 25, the lower portions of the launders being of flexible hose form. A number of launders may be connected in series. The end of one launder is arranged to nest within the end of an adjacent launder and the ears on the bail 25 are disposed in the apertures 23. The bails are preferably provided at the upper ends with eyes 26 for a purpose later described.

The flexible pipe connections 21 and 22 are more fully shown in Figs. 4: and 5. and comprise a plurality of thimbles 27 of like form. The thimbles taper toward one end so that the smaller end of one will nest within the large end of the adjacent thimble and permit relative angular movement of the two. Securing the thimbles together are pins 28. Mounted upon selected pins 28 are supporting links 29, each of which are provided with eyes 30 through which extends a tie cable 3l. Tie cable 31 is anchored at its ends to the ends of the flexible connection.

Extending along the conduits is a supporting cable 32 which supports the conduits and serve for adjusting the position of the same. The supporting cable 32 is threaded through the eyes 26 in the bail and at the flexible connection supports the latter by means ofhangers 33 provided With eyes in Which are disposed the cables 3l and 32.

The flexible connection 22 is supported from the cable 32 for a distance of about one-half of its length, thereby oering no hindrance to the flexible movement of the connection, as the connection may be bent Without bending the supporting cable. Connected to the flexible cable 32 adjacent the connection 22 are guy cables 34C and 35. The latter are secured at their free ends to dead- Inen 36 and 37 Which are suitably disposed 'for controlling the position of the discharge conduits.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 with the guy lines 34 and 35 arranged as shown, the discharge pipe 23 may be moved to discharge at various points.. In full lines l have shewn the discharge pipe 23 arranged to feed concrete into the form forl pier 7. In dotted lines the pipe is shown discharging concrete into pier 8 and in an opposite position discharging concrete to the foundation Wall forms 6.

Referring to Fig. 2 l have illustrated the utility of the supporting line for a greater rang@ of the distribution of concrete. To move the discharge pipe into the position shown in dotted lines guy line 34 is slackened as shown by the dot and dash lines and the ,guy line 35 is taken up, thereby moving the line of pipe 2O about the hopper as a center. Concrete may then be discharged into the mold for pier 9 and at other points 22. The flexible connection indicated by 21 in Fig. 1 and 21 permits this movement Copiem of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the of the line of conduits about the hopper While the flexible connection indicated by 22 permitsthe movement of the discharge end of the line of conduit through an are about the flexible connection 22 as a center.

lt is obvious that the embodiment of my invention as described above permits a large range of movement for the discharge of concrete at various points.l

What l claim is: j 1. A flexible connection for conduits, comprising a series of conduits arranged With the end of one nesting Within the adjacent end of another so as to'permit relative angular movement, thereby forming joints, means flexibly securing adjacent conduits to each other, supporting links secured to said conduits, said links provided with opei'iings, a tie cable disposed in saidV openings. a suppnrting line, hangers mounted on said supporting line and supporting said tie cable.4

2. A flexible connection fior conduits, comprising a series of thinibles arranged With an end of one nesting Within the adjacent end of another so as to permit relative angular movement, pins pivotallyconnecting the adjacent thimbles to each other,

supporting links secured to said conduits,

said links provided With eyes, a tie cable disposed in said eyes, a supporting line, hangers mounted on said supporting line and supporting said tie cable.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 5th day of June, 1916.

W. J. SAUNDERS.

Commissioner of Patente Washington, D. Q s 

